Construction begins to turn former school into Lincolnshire Wolds nursery

Historic school to welcome children again as a nursery

Work has begun on the creation of a new nursery at a former school in the heart of the Lincolnshire Wolds.

Little Ormsbees will be located at a 19th century former school in South Ormsby near Louth, following an extensive restoration and refurbishment.

The nursery will cater for up to 24 children aged 0-4 when it opens in September.

Little Ormsbees will be run by Nursery Manager, Leanne Gains who’s beginning the nursery after ten years in a senior role at an award-winning nursery elsewhere in Lincolnshire.

As well as having a degree in Early Childhood Studies, the mum of two has qualifications in first aid, forest school training and food hygiene.

Leanne said:

“It’s really exciting to be opening my own nursery, which is something I’ve always dreamed of doing. I think Little Ormsbees is exactly what parents are looking for and I can’t wait for when we welcome our first children.

“The old school building is absolutely perfect; it’s in a wonderful location where children can play and learn in the heart of the Lincolnshire Wolds, and it’ll have all the facilities and space we’ll need to be a first class nursery. It’s also fitting that the old school will once again be used for education and childcare, which is what it was created for all those years ago.”

The former school, which was built in 1858 will have its roof and windows replaced and a new ground source heating system will be installed which will make use of renewable geothermal energy. A new kitchen will be created along with toilets which will make use of a rainwater harvesting system.

The former school was built for children from the villages of South Ormsby, Ketsby, Calceby and Driby by Marie Jeanne Massingberd, a french governess from Versailles who became the dowager of South Ormsby Estate.

The school taught thousands of children over its long history and maintained a close connection with the Massingberd-Mundy family which owned the estate for almost  four hundred years.

The school closed in 1974, with its pupils transferring to a new school in Tetford. In the decades since, the Old School has been used for community events and exhibitions, but has largely been unused.

The only nursery within a seven mile radius and located a short distance from the A16 and Bluestone Heath Road, Little Ormsbees is designed to support children and parents in nearby villages as well as Louth, Horncastle, Spilsby and Skegness.

The natural world will play an important role in the Little Ormsbees experience, with children getting hands on with natural objects such as leaves and conkers, as well as playing and learning in the nursery’s beautiful surroundings.

Little Ormsbees is the latest project from South Ormsby Estate, which is working to make the 3,000 acre estate a better place to live, work, learn and enjoy life. The estate aims to support the growth of a modern and dynamic rural economy while enhancing the natural beauty and character of the area. Renovations, sustainable development and business support are the foundations of the estate’s ambitious plans for the future as well as facilities to help improve quality of life for people living locally.

Damien Howard-Pask, spokesperson for South Ormsby Estate said:

“For many years, this area has needed more childcare facilities in order to help young families to stay and settle in the area and to support the wider community.

“When Leanne came to us and offered to open a nursery within the old school building, we were blown away by her obvious passion, talent, experience and personality. You couldn’t wish for a better person to run a nursery and we’re really excited to give her this opportunity.

“Teams are working hard to restore the old school building, with expert conservationists helping to preserve and protect its historic features while bringing it up to modern standards. It’s a beautiful building with a long history and we’re pleased to be beginning a new chapter.”